Anything Goes

A New Development

I laid with him in the dark, the thick curtains in my room blocking out all the sunlight. He laid on my chest and I just petted his head and held him to me. I hated that there wasn't much I could do to make him feel better besides what I was already doing. I gave him Tylenol to bring down his fever, and one of his painkillers to ease the pain he was feeling. Beyond that, all I could do was be right here with him. I listened to his deep breathing and to the sounds of his heart, making sure the rhythm was regular. I didn't want to take him back to the hospital, and I know he wouldn't want to go back either.

I looked closely at him. He was so beautiful, even when he slept. His cheeks were still pink, but they weren't as red as they were before. His red hair was fanned about him like a golden red flame. He seemed to glow in the dark. Like a phoenix… I stroked his bare shoulder and down his arm gently. He had porcelain skin, but with a few tiny freckles that you had to look really closely to see. I found the cotton ball taped to the inside of his elbow, and the hospital bracelet we hadn't cut off yet. I took his hand in mine and squeezed it; he was so sound asleep he didn't feel it. Good, he needed the sleep desperately. Especially after last night…

I had never been so worried before about anything. I was so afraid he wasn't going to make it; that he was going to have a heart attack in my arms and that I was gonna lose him. My heart dropped into my toes when he told me his heart hurt. And I'd never seen him cry about being in pain before. I'd seen him cry in anger, but never pain. It was so upsetting and heartbreaking to see him like that. And then to spend hours in the waiting room hardly hearing a word about how he was...it was agony.

I closed my eyes. God I'm tired…

I woke up a little later. The sun was still out, I could see its faint outline through my curtains. Axl was still asleep, turned away from me. I picked his hair out of his face and pulled the sheet back up over him. The room was bathed in varying shades of gray-blue, courtesy of the summer sunlight filtered out by the curtains. My stomach started yelling at me about being empty. I sat up and sighed, rearranging my shirt. I should probably go make something to eat.

I passed into the kitchen and pulled out a bowl and some cereal from the cabinet, and had just pulled out the last of the milk when I heard a knock at the door.

It was Duff.

“Good afternoon. Thought I'd come by and see how both of you were.” He said casually. I let him in.

“I'm fine.” I said, taking my cereal to the couch. Duff sat down opposite me. “It's Axl you need to worry about.”

“Well, you were still up all night. I wanted to make sure you actually slept.” said Duff, lighting a cigarette. He dragged on it and passed it to me. “Why, what's wrong with Axl?”

“Nothing new, he's just still sick. He says he feels better, but this isn't going to go away overnight. Doctor says he needs a lot of rest. I've just been taking care of him. He's sleeping now.” I said, eating my cereal.

“Well, at least he's feeling a little better. I'm sure he doesn't want to go back to the ER. I got a nap in, so I thought I'd pop over.”

“I appreciate it. And thanks for giving us a ride. If you weren't there I was gonna have to call an ambulance.”

“No worries.” said Duff, stretching his legs. And again I was reminded of fucking how tall he was. “Seems like you guys are pretty close.”

I almost choked on my cereal. Duff leaned over and patted me on the back.

“What?” I squeaked, eyes watering. “What do you mean?”

“I dunno, just seems like you guys are close. I know you said at the hospital you've known each other a while.” Duff shrugged. “You just seem like you're really good friends.”